This instructable shows how I cut my toms. Why cut toms? Because electric drums don't require a resonant head, so a standard acoustic tom will provide for two pads when chopped in half.

Note: I'm sure there are alot easy, more accurate ways to do this, most involving a table saw - which I don't have.

Step 1: Tape and Measure

Step 0 was remove heads/hardware.

Here you need to figure out where you want to cut. I needed my toms to retain their mounting hardware on one half, so I cut mine with a 1/4" clearance from the resonant side lugs.

Tape with Masking tape where your going to cut, it doesn't need to be perfectly straight.

Mark little dashes on the masking tape at the distance from the edge that the cut will be. Intervals should be at about 1".

Step 2: Connect the Dots

Connect the dashes you made in Step 2. I used a 3"X5" card to keep a straight line.

Step 3: Chop

Start the cut with a hacksaw. The one I used is actually meant for metal cutting, any large long saw should work with the appropriate amount of caution.

This initial cut should only be deep enough to cut through the shell so there is a slit large enoug to insert the jigsaw blade.

Step 4: Chop 2.0

Here things get fun. Grab your favorite Jigsaw insert into the slit you made in step 3 and have at it. I would recommend going slow and keeping as precisely to the line as possible.

On my jigsaw, it was hard to see where the blade was cutting, so i flipped the blade backwards and cut backwards (most jigsaws aren't like this).